Rappa race grip

[yorkshire8]

Been to look at a Rappa race grip today has anyone got one and how do you like them? Im thinking about setting it up in a permanent yard.

 

[Downton_shep]

@Keepers did you say you were getting one?

 

[scholland]

Been to look at a Rappa race grip today has anyone got one and how do you like them? Im thinking about setting it up in a permanent yard.

If you're setting it up in permanent yard why not get a combi clamp?

 

[Six Dogs]

Big disadvantages over a Combi Clamp are you need to “catch “ the sheep using one hand on the lever whereas with the Combi both hands are always free,also restricted to using in one direction,whereas with the Combi you can turn it around depending on which side you want to work from

 

[yorkshire8]

@Keepers did you say you were getting one?

Just thinking about getting one ?

 

[yorkshire8]

I’ve tried the combi clamp and I didn’t like it. The Rappa does catch the sheep so both your hands are free. Also you can run ewes and lambs through together without having to alter settings which I see as an advantage.

 

[Six Dogs]

I’ve tried the combi clamp and I didn’t like it. The Rappa does catch the sheep so both your hands are free. Also you can run ewes and lambs through together without having to alter settings which I see as an advantage.

Sorry what I meant was as the sheep enters the race squeeze you use your hand to clamp it whereas with the Combi you use the foot plate

 

[Al R]

I’ve tried the combi clamp and I didn’t like it. The Rappa does catch the sheep so both your hands are free. Also you can run ewes and lambs through together without having to alter settings which I see as an advantage.

Not a fan of the combi clamp but I only alter the board post weaning. Before that my ewes and lambs are separate when on the combi clamp but if a lamb slides through on the ewe setting it isn’t ready anyway.. Never altered the pole underneath only the board that lifts up/out

 

[hinchy]

Saw one of these on demo the other day. Sheep seemed to flow really nicely through it.

https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Agriculture/Hecton-in-the-UK-543662786122955/

 

[Al R]

Saw one of these on demo the other day. Sheep seemed to flow really nicely through it.

https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Agriculture/Hecton-in-the-UK-543662786122955/

Sheep Handling Systems | Dairy Feeding Systems | Farm Trailers | Hecton Products NZ

Locally Designed & Made For New Zealand Condition, Hecton's Farm Products Range Includes Meal & Molasses Systems, Heavy Duty Trailers And Sheep Handling Equipments. Check Out Our Range Of Products.

www.hecton.co.nz

I’d seen the website a few years ago and it does look good equipment.

 

[neilo]

If you're setting it up in permanent yard why not get a combi clamp?

A lower angle on the intake ramp would maybe help flow with hesitant lambs (like I had through earlier?)?

 

[Cow1]

I was interested in buying one on Countryside Productivity. I asked when delivery would be and got a one word answer “November”

I enquired about doing a deal a fortnight later only to be told the order book was now full till June 2020 but I could order one after that. I explained that to qualify for the grant it would have to be before May but Rappa weren’t interested.

I think I would struggle to turn away orders when you have a 6 month window to increase manufacturing capacity especially with a newish product that might sell more units through word of mouth and getting it out there.

Obviously Rappa aren’t that bothered about sales.

 

[Downton_shep]

I was interested in buying one on Countryside Productivity. I asked when delivery would be and got a one word answer “November”

I enquired about doing a deal a fortnight later only to be told the order book was now full till June 2020 but I could order one after that. I explained that to qualify for the grant it would have to be before May but Rappa weren’t interested.

I think I would struggle to turn away orders when you have a 6 month window to increase manufacturing capacity especially with a newish product that might sell more units through word of mouth and getting it out there.

Obviously Rappa aren’t that bothered about sales.

Not sure it’s that simple to just bang a load more out, especially if you want to keep quality up.

 

[neilo]

I was interested in buying one on Countryside Productivity. I asked when delivery would be and got a one word answer “November”

I enquired about doing a deal a fortnight later only to be told the order book was now full till June 2020 but I could order one after that. I explained that to qualify for the grant it would have to be before May but Rappa weren’t interested.

I think I would struggle to turn away orders when you have a 6 month window to increase manufacturing capacity especially with a newish product that might sell more units through word of mouth and getting it out there.

Obviously Rappa aren’t that bothered about sales.

These grants are only short term, and a lot of the sales generated are just orders that would have been placed anyway, but brought forward because of the grant schemes. Once the schemes come to an end, I would imagine those manufacturers will have a very lean time for a while.
Would it be prudent to take on, and train up, loads of extra staff to fulfil orders and get them out faster, only to have to lay them off in a year’s time?

 

[Bob]

I was interested in buying one on Countryside Productivity. I asked when delivery would be and got a one word answer “November”

I enquired about doing a deal a fortnight later only to be told the order book was now full till June 2020 but I could order one after that. I explained that to qualify for the grant it would have to be before May but Rappa weren’t interested.

I think I would struggle to turn away orders when you have a 6 month window to increase manufacturing capacity especially with a newish product that might sell more units through word of mouth and getting it out there.

Obviously Rappa aren’t that bothered about sales.

Who did you speak to at Rappa? That is certainly not how I found them

 

[Matt-P]

Who did you speak to at Rappa? That is certainly not how I found them

Me neither

 

[GreenerGrass]

I've heard it said about them before, but to be honest my experience is they are very good company with great products and massively overordered with these schemes. When I've wanted things (and I'm getting a race grip and weigh platform this time) is they always tell you need to order ASAP. As soon as you get the grant acceptance. If you miss the window and they have everything already allocated then they don't want to run the risk of a bad rep and not delivering on items.

Wanted to order a yard at a show and it took a long while to actually speak to them. I think they do get plenty of tyre kickers.

 

[Boydvalley]

If I remember you had to say a manufacturer delivery date when you accepted the grant. Guess people were just making it up.
Took delivery of my Rappa yesterday and Mark said they are still getting enquires for yards this week.

Anyhow back to the OP.
Had a good look round one but never seen sheep go through but I have heavily modified a Rancher gripper to fit in my Prattley so have experience of manual clamps.
Pros
Second moving clamp panel looks really good for different sizes and should have a slight lifting effect which may stop them scrabbling so much once clamped
Back handle is essential for clamping if you have push up and means you can clamp the sheep as they run ahead of you. Just standing back a bit can make them run but you have to be very quick if your only pushing on the side panel.
Far panel pulls towards you clamping the sheep to the side of race near you making working on the sheep easier. Most have the panel pushing away from you and pushing the sheep with it.
Sheep stand clamped on a slope which should improve presentation for dagging .

Cons
Pulling the far panel towards you means you are reaching across the race as they run up and you are nearer the race and probably stopping them.. if your on your own I suspect you’ll be standing a bit behind to get them to run and using the rear handle a lot.
Particularly if you doing something like drenching that matters because unlike a combi clamp you can’t just stand back and clamp.
You have to put the drench gun/ other equipment down to clamp. Becomes tedious.
Got to get them to run up the ramp in the first place.


Problem with all these manual clamps is that you only exchanging one effort for another. For example drenching. Yes you are saving effort catching and holding sheep in a dosing race but you still have to get the sheep into and clamp in the race which is just as much effort overall and a lot slower.

If I was the OP and wants to use it one place I would seriously consider something like the Scotsqueeze where the Machine actually replaces effort and is a lot easier on your own.

 

[Downton_shep]

If I remember you had to say a manufacturer delivery date when you accepted the grant. Guess people were just making it up.
Took delivery of my Rappa yesterday and Mark said they are still getting enquires for yards this week.

Anyhow back to the OP.
Had a good look round one but never seen sheep go through but I have heavily modified a Rancher gripper to fit in my Prattley so have experience of manual clamps.
Pros
Second moving clamp panel looks really good for different sizes and should have a slight lifting effect which may stop them scrabbling so much once clamped
Back handle is essential for clamping if you have push up and means you can clamp the sheep as they run ahead of you. Just standing back a bit can make them run but you have to be very quick if your only pushing on the side panel.
Far panel pulls towards you clamping the sheep to the side of race near you making working on the sheep easier. Most have the panel pushing away from you and pushing the sheep with it.
Sheep stand clamped on a slope which should improve presentation for dagging .

Cons
Pulling the far panel towards you means you are reaching across the race as they run up and you are nearer the race and probably stopping them.. if your on your own I suspect you’ll be standing a bit behind to get them to run and using the rear handle a lot.
Particularly if you doing something like drenching that matters because unlike a combi clamp you can’t just stand back and clamp.
You have to put the drench gun/ other equipment down to clamp. Becomes tedious.
Got to get them to run up the ramp in the first place.


Problem with all these manual clamps is that you only exchanging one effort for another. For example drenching. Yes you are saving effort catching and holding sheep in a dosing race but you still have to get the sheep into and clamp in the race which is just as much effort overall and a lot slower.

If I was the OP and wants to use it one place I would seriously consider something like the Scotsqueeze where the Machine actually replaces effort and is a lot easier on your own.

Great post!
i agree, reaching over the race is definitely going to effect flow. With the combi clamp at second vaccination I’ve got vaccine gun in one hand and two drench guns in the other. Even with every thing in front of you on the clamp I find it a faf having to keep picking something up and putting it down again.

 

[scholland]

Try it out on Wednesday, very easy to install in the trailer